1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to single point fluid supply systems for replenishing a liquid electrolyte in a plurality of battery cells simultaneously and in particular to a series of cell fill valves interconnected by a series of hoses and T-connections, one to each cell, each cell fill valve controlled by a ball in a seat in a single fill opening, the ball controlled by a float on a pivotable lever arm with an end finger which holds the ball up to admit water with the float down and allows the ball to lower onto the seat as the cell fills causing the float to rise to a shutoff level when the cell is filled to a desired level.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Single Point Battery Watering is primarily used for batteries on industrial lift trucks, golf carts and other battery powered vehicles. It involves placing some sort of automatic shutoff valve in every cell of the battery. These cells are then connected by a pipe or tubing. One end of the tubing is left free with a quick connect attached to it. When it is time to water the battery, a pressurized water supply line (hose) is attached to the quick connect. Water flows through the tubing and into the battery cells. As the cells reach the predetermined height, the valves shut off. Water is still able to flow through the tubing until all valves in the battery have shut off. The quick connect is detached and the next battery can be filled.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,942,908, issued Jan. 9, 1934 to Swain, concerns a liquid feeding mechanism for supplying fluid to multiple battery cells from one fluid source. Each cell is equipped with a float that raises a lever, which in turn lowers a valve to open the inflow aperture, thereby adding fluid to the cell. When the liquid level rises to the predetermined level, the float rises and the lever causes the valve to close the inflow aperture automatically.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,156, issued Jun. 14, 1988 to Olimpio, indicates a cap for accumulators suited for the automatic refill of distilled water that includes a main body inside which there is a chamber suited for the distribution of the distilled water through a hole. The hole is shut by a valve controlled by a float and connected to the float by means of a toggle joint. The toggle joint consists of a right-angled lever and of a shaft connected by a hinge to the lever and to the valve. The toggle joint ensures a very high force for the shutting of the valve, such as to stand high deliveries of liquid even under pressure. The cap is also equipped with a float in the shape of an upside-down glass, that is, open at the bottom on the side of the liquid upper surface, so that the push on the float is determined by the over-pressure of the air and the gasses contained in the interior of the float. The overpressure increases in direct relation to the rising of the electrolyte level. The gasses which develop inside the accumulator are discharged through a cap equipped with radial holes and with a ceramic filter suited to the expansion of the gasses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,138, issued Sep. 8, 1998 to Oschmann, is for a device that serves to automatically fill battery cells with water, which includes a filler plug that can be placed in the cell. The plug has two connection members for the water supply as. well as a valve operated by a float. The valve body is connected in articulated fashion to the float, which is arranged centrally in the plug housing, via a pivotally mounted amplifying lever. Between the valve with the valve body and the connection member there is a substantially vertical overflow wall with a free upper edge that is higher than the horizontal upper edge of the bore of the connection members so that a U-shaped feed duct is formed that leads to the overflow wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,141, issued May 31, 1983 to Weidner, indicates a watering device for maintaining a predetermined electrolyte level in the cells of a battery. The device includes a plug body consisting of a cover, a valve housing and a float guide. A valve is disposed within the body to modulate the quantity of water entering each cell. A float movably communicates with the valve. A visual indicator indicates the status of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,633, issued Jun. 7, 1988 to Elias, concerns an automatic battery watering device, which includes a housing mounted in the battery cell opening. The housing has a chamber for receiving pressurized water, an internal valve opening for passing the water into the cell, a valve pin mounted in the valve opening, a float that is mounted in the battery electrolyte and connected to the lower end of the pin so as to rise and fall in response to a change in the liquid level in the cell, and a pair of internally mounted diaphragms which center and support the pin and float. The pin has a valve member for blocking the internal valve opening when the float is at an appropriate level. When the float is lowered after a drop in the level of the electrolyte, the internal valve member opens so water can flow into the battery to replenish the liquid level. The housing passes gas from the battery to the atmosphere along a path independent of the water passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,378, issued Apr. 23, 1985 to Oschmann, provides a device for the automatic filling of battery cells with water, which comprises a filling cup to be inserted into a battery cell and is provided with a connection hose for the water supply as well as a valve actuated by a float fitted to a single centering guide rod for easy movement and not susceptible to clogging up, the rod extending through an opening in the bottom of the cup housing and hinged at its upper end to an amplifying lever for the transmission of the float movement to the valve body, so that even in the remote possibility of heavy movement of the float guide, the lifting force of the float is sufficient to actuate the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,471,362, issued Oct. 23, 1923 to Sartakoff, puts forth a storage battery filler that automatically adds fluid to the cells of a battery. Each cell is equipped with a float that activates a valve raising lever when the fluid level is low, the lever further serves to allow the valve to be seated when the liquid level rises to the predetermined level, thereby stopping the inflow of liquid.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20040161661, published Aug. 19, 2004 by Campau, illustrates a single point watering system for use with a lead-acid battery having a plurality of battery cell access ports. The system comprises a plurality of refill valves and a plurality of refill valves and a manifold having (i) a water feed tube with at least one external port and a plurality of outlets each communicating with one of the plurality of refill valves, and (ii) at least one passageway housing a flame arrestor to permit the discharge of gases from the battery cells to the surrounding environment only through the flame arrestor. The manifold is removably and sealably mountable to the battery so that each refill valve is in fluid communication with one of the battery cell access ports.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20040140005, published Jul. 22, 2004 by Campau, provides a single point watering system for refilling individual cells of a multi cell monobloc lead-acid battery wherein each battery cell is fitted with a refill control valve. The system includes a manifold and a swivel connector fitting. The manifold has (i) a plurality of outlet bosses positioned at a predetermined spacing to permit the manifold to be assembled to the battery with each outlet boss in sealed fluid communication with one of the refill control valves, (ii) at least one inlet port adapted to receive the swivel connector fitting, and (iii) a longitudinally extending passageway for fluid communication between the inlet port and each outlet boss. The swivel connector fitting has an outlet boss which is mounted within the manifold inlet port in sealed fluid communication and is rotatable within, the inlet port through 360 degrees. The swivel connector fitting also includes ports to communicate with other components of the single point watering system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,442, issued Feb. 25, 1992 to Campau, provides a field repairable apparatus for filling a container to a predetermined level with liquid provided from an external liquid supply means. The apparatus includes a main valve and a main valve seat for controlling the supply of liquid to the container. A lower valve housing is provided for supporting the main valve and main valve seat. An upper cap housing is also provided which is in fluid communication between the external liquid supply means and the main valve. Together, the lower and upper housings form a manually releasably connected valve assembly which is removably insertable into the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,338, issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Campau, shows a single point watering system for refilling individual cells of a multi cell monobloc lead-acid battery wherein each battery cell is fitted with a refill control valve. The system includes a manifold and a swivel connector fitting. The manifold has (i) a plurality of outlet bosses positioned at a predetermined spacing to permit the manifold to be assembled to the battery with each outlet boss in sealed fluid communication with one of the refill control valves, (ii) at least one inlet port adapted to receive the swivel connector fitting, and (iii) a longitudinally extending passageway for fluid communication between the inlet port and each outlet boss. The swivel connector fitting has an outlet boss which is mounted within the manifold inlet port in sealed fluid communication and is rotatable within the inlet port through 360 degrees. The swivel connector fitting also includes ports to communicate with other components of the single point watering system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,593, issued Jul. 9, 1985 to Campau, discloses an apparatus and system for filling containers with a required liquid to a predetermined level. The apparatus includes a main valve means for controlling the flow of liquid through the apparatus and into the container; a fluid amplifier means for receiving at least a portion of the liquid from the main valve means and for generating a pressure signal until such time as the liquid within the container reaches the predetermined level; and pilot valve means for maintaining the main valve means open in the presence of the pressure signal from the fluid amplifier and for closing the main valve means in the absence of the pressure signal. The system includes the aforesaid apparatus together with liquid supply conduit and valve means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,229, issued May 8, 2001 to Campau, puts forth a high gain fluid control valve assembly, which includes a body portion having one or more inlets and two aligned outlets. The outlets are located on opposing faces of the body portion, one having a generally rigid valve seat defining a first valve outlet port and the other having a generally flexible valve seat defining a second valve outlet port. The valve assembly also employs a valve support assembly configured to move relative to the body portion generally along the axis of the aligned outlets. The support assembly has a flexible valve member at one end positioned inside the body portion and configured to engage the rigid valve seat to block flow through the first valve outlet port. The support assembly also has a generally rigid valve member positioned outside the body portion and configured to engage the flexible valve seat to block flow through the second valve outlet port. With this construction, when the valve support member is in an open position, both the flexible and rigid valve members are spaced from the rigid valve seat and flexible valve seat, respectively, allowing flow of fluid through the valve. However, when the valve support assembly is moved to the closed position, both the valve members are in contact with their respective valve seats and fluid flow is blocked.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,557, issued Sep. 17, 1991 to Campau, shows an apparatus used in a system for filling containers with a required liquid to a predetermined level. The apparatus includes a main valve means for controlling the flow of liquid through the apparatus and into the container. This main valve means includes an improved main valve, an improved main valve seat, and a main valve support.
What is needed is a simple low cost single point fluid supply system for replenishing a liquid electrolyte in a plurality of battery cells simultaneously with very few parts, of which very few are moving parts and none of the parts made of rubber, which can get sticky in the battery environment and cause failures.